Certain electrical connectors (“connectors”) have a large number of contacts depending on connector's application. To mate or disconnect these connectors from each other, a large force is required to overcome the friction generated by the contacts. Lever-actuated connectors are often used in these applications, where the mating and disconnecting of the connector from a mating connector is performed by using the mechanical advantages provided by leverage.
Conventionally, a lever is mounted on a plug housing of a lever-actuated connector, such as a connector housing a female terminal, so as to pivot between an initial mating position and a final mating position. A receptacle housing of a mating connector, such as a connector housing a male terminal, is provided with a cam pin. When the connector housing and receptacle housing are in initial contact with each other with the lever held in the initial mating position, the cam pin is advanced into a cam groove provided in the lever. The lever is then rotated to the final mating position, during which a cam action is produced between the cam groove and the cam pin with each other. The cam action causes both the housings to mate with each other, and the terminals of both the connectors are electrically connected together.
A term “pivot” (or “pivotable”) as used herein indicates that both a clockwise swing and a counterclockwise swing are possible, and either a clockwise rotation or a counterclockwise rotation is simply referred to as rotation.
Since a lever-actuated connector impairs its function as a connector if used without completion of proper mating, it is necessary to make sure that the mating has been completed.
Various conventional mating detection methods are known, such as the one described in Japanese Patent Application No. 2012-150959 A, which provides a terminal to detect whether devices have been connected together.
Similarly, Japanese Patent Application No. 2009-117045 A discloses a lever-actuated connector having a terminal for mating detection. Prior to mating the mating detection terminal is separate from a counterpart mating detection terminal and after mating has been completed, the mating detection terminal is in contact with the counterpart mating detection terminal to form a detection circuit. The detection circuit electrically detects whether normal mating has been completed.
However, the connector disclosed in JP 2009-117045 A is provided with a detection arm displaced by the operation of a lever for mating, and the operation of the detection arm elastically deforms the mating detection terminal, thereby controlling contact and non-contact with the mating detection terminal of the mating connector. In addition, the lever is provided with a member necessary to operate the detection arm, such as a pressing portion and a preliminarily-pressing portion. Consequently, these conventional connectors use a large number of components that increase the complexity of the connector and results in undesirable increases in cost.
There is a need for a lever-actuated electrical connector with a reduced number of elements that is capable of achieving a mating detection function.